The Dollmage

I found the children in a little grove of trees in the west field. Most of the sheep were tended in the summer meadow high on the mountain, but some, lambs born too early or rams and ewes that were too old, stayed in the valley. Young children, field size, kept them. It was lazy work. They had only to keep the stock away from the drifts of bracken that marked the edge of the forest. Bears and wolves rarely came here, but there were foxes, and bogs to fall into.

As it was, only Manal was at his post with the sheep. The others were in a small grove of trees, seated around a tree stump that served as a table. There were seven boys: Areth Lowmeadow, Miller Gravepost, Nikko Nailsmith, Surry Wistnot, Dantu Three, Nid Maybenot, and Tawm Herdson. One girl: Annakey Rainsayer. They were all looking at her with adoration. Oblivious to their love, she was serving them, solemnly and with tender pats to their heads, wild berries in dried mud bowls.

The bowls were small, but perfectly made. In the center of the stump was a graceful clay vase and in that, a flower. In Annakey’s arms was a baby made of bark and branches and grass and leaves, all tied and knotted in clever ways so that it was easy to see it was a baby. She cradled the baby in one arm and poured water from a little clay pitcher into little clay cups for the boys.

“Am I not the best of all your children?” Surry asked quietly as Annakey poured him water.

“If she says yes, I shall black your eye later,” said Nid mildly and with a ferocious smile.

“I am the one who gathered the berries. She loves me best,” said Miller in his sweetest voice, as if he had just given the boys a generous compliment.

“Dullwits,” said Dantu gently and graciously. “It is easy to see why you love me best, Annakey, since they are all so lump-brained”

Annakey stopped pouring water. “Did I not speak to all of you about quarreling?” she said.

“You told us to speak in kindly tones,” Areth said, grinning. “Their tones sound kindly to me.”

The boys laughed, and then the laughter faded under Annakey’s stern gaze.

“All of you go play,” said Areth to the others. He was a head taller than the rest of them.

“I do not want to go,” said Dantu.

“Yes, we do not want to go, too.”

“You must go. Gather deadfall for the supper fire,” Areth said.

“Why must we always go?” Tawm protested.

“Because,” said Areth, “you are the children and I am the father. Now go. I want to speak to your mother alone for a moment.”

One by one, the other boys tumbled out of the grove and ran to the field where the sheep slept like lumps of wool in the deep grass. As soon as they were alone, Areth took Annakey’s hand.

“Annakey,” he said, “promise me you will be my wife.”

“I am already your wife,” Annakey said.

“I mean for real. When we grow up.”

Annakey drew her hand away and laughed. “Areth, what if I grow up to be nagging and ugly?” The child seemed a little afraid, as if she understood at a level beyond her years the nature of such a promise.

Just then Manal entered the grove.

Annakey held up a bowl of berries for him. “Areth wants me to promise to be his wife,” she said.

Manal said nothing. His manner was gentle and quiet. Areth lay down in the grass to sulk. Annakey watched as Manal ate the berries, looking into his bowl.

They talked quietly Manal told Annakey how Papa Naplong’s hog, wandering the fringes of the forest for worms and mice, had come upon a newborn lamb to eat it. Manal had had to chase him away with a stick.

“That is good, Manal,” Annakey said.

Manal shrugged. “It is my work, to care for the sheep.”

“Manal, why do you work with the sheep while the rest of us play?” she asked.

“You play at womens work,” Manal said.

“It makes me happy to do so,” Annakey said, after a moments thought.

Manal glanced at her and almost smiled. “Work makes me . . . happy.” He ate in silence for a time and then said, “These bowls are good, Annakey. They make the food taste better.”

I almost gasped aloud.

Annakey picked one up and inspected it closely to hide her blushes. She shook her head.

“And the babydoll is as good as one of Dollmage’s.”

That part was not true.

“If I were Dollmage,” Annakey said, “I would use my power to make my father come home.”

Manal stood. “By now the others are fighting amongst themselves and have forgotten the sheep.” He began to walk away but stopped before Areth. “Dollmage teaches that we are born into enough promises,” he said to him.Then he was gone.

I could hardly hear what was being said because my eyes were studying the bowls, the vase, and the babydoll too hard. Finally I decided the bowls were just homely toys, and nothing to punish her about. Still, it must be stopped. I emerged from my hiding place, startling Annakey and Areth.

“Hello, Grandmother Dollmage.”